AFGE Applauds Growing Opposition to Trump’s Attack on Federal Workers

WASHINGTON – More members of Congress are speaking out against the White House’s attempts to undermine the U.S. Constitution and laws providing checks and balances in the federal government.

Following letters sent to the White House last week from 21 Republicans and 23 Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives, 45 Democratic members of the U.S. Senate issued their own letter to President Trump today urging him to rescind three executive orders he issued last month targeting federal workers.

In response, American Federation of Government Employees National President J. David Cox Sr. issued the following statement:

“Today, 45 members of the U.S. Senate took a stand for democracy and the rights we all hold dear as American citizens. I thank Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland for his leadership on this issue and for all the Senators who signed this letter of support for federal workers.

“The three executive orders President Trump issued May 25 are a direct assault on the Constitutional rights of federal workers and a challenge to the democratic principles on which this nation was founded.

“These executive orders strip agencies of their right to bargain terms and conditions of employment and replace it with a politically charged scheme to fire employees without due process. Left unchallenged, these directives will deprive 2 million workers of their rights to address and resolve workplace issues such as sexual harassment, racial discrimination, retaliation against whistleblowers, improving workplace health and safety, enforcing reasonable accommodations for workers with disabilities, and so much more.

“AFGE is already leading the charge against the president’s actions in court, and it’s gratifying to have so many elected leaders from both political parties speaking up in support of federal employees and their rights under the law.”